D 609 
.U7 B5 
Copy 1 



609 
J7 B5 
opy 1 



BIDWELLS 

in the 

WORLD WAR 



^ 



Bidwells in the World War 



COMPILED BY 

FREDERICK DAVID BIDWELL 

ALBANY. N. Y. 



ALBANY 

J. B. LYON COMPANY, PRINTERS 

I 920 



i^^°V 



.\A 



OCT 



2 !920 



F 



OUR HONORED ONES 

AITHFUL in every kind of work 

That helped to make our land 
A better place in which to live 
Were found the Bidwell band. 



Back thru the years in times of peace; 

In literature, law and art, 
As teacher, doctor, clergyman 

Each one had done his part. 

And suddenly when the scene was changed 

And peace gave place to war. 
Their talent and their strength they gave, 

More willing than before. 

We follow them in camp and field, 

Private and officer, khaki-clad. 
Four gave their lives for democracy's cause. 

But cherished in memory is each brave lad. 

As correspondent there was one 

Who crossed when first was sounded 
The call to war; and five there were 

Who nursed the sick and wounded. 

The Bidwells honor within this book 

Their own who bore the test; 
Those few who have earned in war's grim play 

A place in the hearts of the rest. 

We'll greet our living, grace our dead. 

In present praise, and more — 
In will to find by them still led 

New quests on a wider shore. 

Irene Bidwell, 

Appleton, Wisconsin. 
3 







TJ 









Marion Ethel Bidwell 





Lieutenant Robinson Edward Bidwell 



Frank Alvin Bidwell 



Bidvvells in the World War 



THE Bidwell Family is a small one widely scattered 
thruout the world, but it is an intensely patriotic 
iamily and has performed its full share in every 
crisis which has risen upon the world's horizon. 

It is fitting to conmience this short recital with the name 
of our family's most distinguished member, Daniel Doane 
Bidwell of East Hartford, Connecticut. He made six trips 
to England, France and Italy during the war. He was in 
the north of France with a part of Sir John French's army 
in August 1914; was in Lille when the Germans marched 
in and was wounded there on September 2, 1914 by a 
German bayonet; was in Meaux three days after the battle 
of the Marne. He was the first American war corre- 
spondent to sail from New York City on an American 
steamship after our country entered the war. He was 
under the Zepp squadron in the silent raid of October 18, 
1917. 

Four Bidwells young in years but strong in heroism 
made the supreme sacrifice. Lieutenant Robinson Edward 
Bidwell of Red Bluff, California, was killed August 2, 
1918, about nine miles south of Dallas, Texas, while making 
a cross country flight. His aeroplane caught fire when 
about two thousand feet in the air and descended in flames. 
At about five hundred feet he leaped to avoid the fire and 
was killed by the fall. He was but twenty years of age 
and as a member of the National Guard he served on the 
Mexican border in 1916. He transferred to the aviation 
service in October, 1917. 

It was on October 17, 1918 that Frank Alvin Bidwell 
of Troy, New York, received his mortal wound, having 
his hip blown off by shrapnel. He died the next day in 

5 



a hospital at Roisel, France, and his body lies buried in 
Rolles Cemetery near the Somme River. He was thirty- 
six years old. He served on the Mexican border during 
1916 and in 1917 did guard duty on railways and barge 
canal locks in New York State. On May 17, 1918, his 
regiment, the 105th Infantry, sailed from Newport News, 
Virginia, for France. As a member of Company A, he 
participated in all the engagements of the 27th Division, 
such as East Paperinghe Line, Dickebusche sector, Vier- 
staat Ridge, The Knoll, Guillemont Farm, Quenmemont 
Farm, and Saint Soupleton on the LaSalle River. By 
command of General John F. O'Ryan he was awarded a 
citation for courage and determination in carrying a mes- 
sage to company headquarters thru heavy machine gun fire. 

Everett Bidwell of Carlisle, Indiana, answered his 
country's call May 2, 1918. He took training at Camp 
Zachary Taylor, Louisville, Kentucky, and went to France 
September 2, 1918 with the 327th Field Artillery, 84th 
Division Battery A. He was a fine gunner. He died of 
pneumonia October 7, 1918 and was buried in Grave 21, 
American Cemetery, at Montagne, Department of the 
Gironde, France. 

His brother, Roy Bidwell, served in the navy, having 
enlisted April 19, 1909, and for four years saw service on 
the battleship " Virginia," and then for two years on the 
cruiser " Brooklyn." His term of service had expired 
September 2, 1915, but the call of action became too strong, 
and so on March 17, 1918 he enlisted again and was sent 
to the Hazelhurst Flying Field at Mineola, New York. 
He also was a fine gunner. It was not until September 2, 
1919 that he received his discharge. 

Another brother, Floyd Bidwell, enlisted September 5, 
1918 and served in the Depot Brigade of the 57th Company 
of the 5th Regiment until December 20, 1918, when he 
was discharged from service. 

6 



A cousin, Melvin Robert Bidwell, enlisted March 1 7, 
1918 and was sent to Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. From 
there he went to France, serving in the medical corps. He 
was under shell fire at Chateau Thierry, and was there 
cited for his bravery. He was again cited on the Saint 
Mihiel front. He received his discharge from the service 
on July 1, 1919. 

Hurley Bidwell of Dugger, Indiana, enlisted May 2, 
1918 and saw service at Camp Zachary Taylor, Louisville, 
Kentucky, as sergeant in the quartermasters corps. 

Colonel Reginald F. Bidwell in command of 101st 
Grenadiers of the British army served for two years in the 
campaign in East Africa, where he contracted severe illness 
and was invalided back to India. He was obliged to resign 
command of the regiment. Colonel Bidwell is a younger 
brother of the Bishop of Ontario, Edward John Bidwell, 
of Kingston, Canada. 

Bishop Bidwell's son, Roger Edward Shelford Bidwell, 
at the age of seventeen passed out of the Naval College of 
Canada in 1917, when he joined the British fleet in the 
North Sea, serving on the battleship " Canada." He is 
now sub-lieutenant and is serving on the battleship 
*' Defiance." 

Bishop Bidwell's daughter, Miss Gertrude Molly Bid- 
well, served as nurse at various camps in England in 1915 
and 1916. In 1916 she married Captain J. F. Meredith 
of the Canadian oversea expeditionary force. 

Another daughter. Miss Dorothea Bidwell, was a nurse 
at the Marine Hospital, Walmer, England, in 1917, and at 
the Third London General Hospital in 1918 and 1919. 

Lieutenant Claude Bidwell of the Hampshire Regiment 
of the British army was killed by a sniper in September 
1916. His brother. Lieutenant Thomas Bidwell, of the 
Grenadier Guards of the British army, suffered severe shell 
shock. He served from 1917 until just before the armistice. 

7 



These two young men were the sons of Arthur Southwell 
Bidwell of East Dereham, Norfolk, England. 

Bishop Bidwell's sister, Mrs. A. W. Jackson, was a nurse 
in various hospitals in England thruout the war, and a niece 
of Bishop Bidwell, Miss Augusta Bidwell, was a nurse at 
the Norwich Hospital, England, receiving the first class 
cross in recognition of her services. 

From Cortland, New York, went two brothers to fight 
for their country. They were Frank Augustus Bidwell, 
aged thirty-three years and Robert Bruce Bidwell, aged 
twenty-four years. The elder brother went oversea on 
March 28, 1918 as a member of Company C, 305th 
Machine Gun of the 77th Division. He participated in 
the engagements on the Vesle, at Verdun, and in the 
Argonne. He was wounded November 4, 1918, receiving 
a gunshot wound in the back and neck. The younger 
brother went oversea on May 18, 1918 as a member of 
Company I, 108th Infantry, which was part of the 27th 
Division. He participated in a number of engagements and 
was wounded on September 29, 1918. 

From Chattanooga, Tennessee, went Lieutenant John 
Thomas Bidwell, commissioned at Fort Oglethorpe, 
Georgia, May 15, 1917. At LeMans, France, he served 
as an instructor at a large training center, and later was 
claim officer in the rents, requisitions and claims service at 
Nogent le Rotrou. 

A young lady, Miss Marion Ethel Bidwell of Glaston- 
bury, Connecticut, served as a nurse at Camp Merritt, New 
Jersey. She received her discharge from service July 20, 
1919. It was in October 1917 that she received her 
diploma after a three years' training course at the Hartford 
Hospital. 

Doctor Edwin Hamilton Bidwell of Niles, Michigan, 
received a commission from Surgeon General William C. 
Gorgas in April, 1917, and was detailed to base hospital 

8 



service. His son, Edwin Clarke Bidwell, volunteered at 
the age of nineteen and was commissioned a quartermaster 
in the United States navy in March, 1917. He saw over- 
sea service on the Mine-sweeper, " Thrush." He was 
released on August II, 1919. 

Perhaps the youngest bugler in the naval reserve force 
was Joseph Barry Bidwell, son of Daniel Doane Bidwell, 
who was not quite seventeen when he enlisted, March 5, 
1918. He served at the Bridgeport base. He is now in 
the United States navy. 

Captain Alfred Morrell Bidwell was commissioned first 
lieutenant in the medical corps, August 4, 191 7. Later he 
was promoted captain and attached to base hospital No. 69 
at Savenay, France. 

Everett Barbour Bidwell of East Hartford, Connecticut, 
enlisted in the United States naval reserve force in 1917 
and performed duty mainly on Long Island Sound. Enter- 
ing as a seaman he was promoted boatswain's mate first 
class before his discharge in July 1919. He entered the 
service at the age of twenty-four. His brother, Leonard 
Bidwell, was a member of the Home Defense Corps. 

Lieutenant Charles Oscar Bidwell of Windsor Locks, 
Connecticut, enlisted July 5, 1917, and was sent to Fort 
Ethan Allen, Vermont, for training. Later he was trans- 
ferred to the officers' training school at Camp Meade, Mary- 
land, where he received his commission June I, 1918. He 
then served in the depot brigade at Camp Devens, Massa- 
chusetts, and was scheduled to sail for France, November 
1 , 1918, but did not leave. He was mustered out January 
23, 1919 at Camp Upton, Long Island. 

Berton Thomas Bidwell of Collinsville, Connecticut, 
answered his country's call on October 3, 1917 and received 
training both at Camp Devens, Massachusetts, and at Camp 
Gordon, Georgia. He was a member of Company D, 
307th Supply Train (Motor) of the 82d Division and 

9 



before going to France he was in the habit of going to 
Detroit, Michigan, for new trucks to be shipped across, 
driving them to Baltimore, Maryland, He arrived in 
France, July 11, 1918, and first went into action July 17, 
1918 at the Toul sector. He afterwards participated in 
the engagements at the Marbache sector. Saint Mihiel 
sector, and the Meuse-Argonne. He was discharged from 
service May 13, 1919 at Camp Dix, New Jersey. 

From one Bidwell home at Hartford, Connecticut, 
went three brothers to carry their country's standard in 
foreign lands. Lieutenant Earle Stanley Bidwell, the eld- 
est brother, received his commission at Fort Oglethorpe, 
Georgia, in August 1917. He chose the field artillery as 
his place of activity and in the spring of 1918 he went to 
France. The second brother. Lieutenant Harold Francis 
Bidwell, received his commission in August, 191 7 at Platts- 
burg. New York, [^e left for France the first part of 
September, 1917, being attached to the United States 
Marine Corps. The youngest brother, Clyde Chester Bid- 
well, enlisted in the naval aviation service in May, 1918, 

Leaving Dartmouth College in 1918 Harold Frederick 
Bidwell of Bloomfield, Connecticut, enlisted in the medical 
corps at Fort Slocum, New York. 

Edward Winthrop Bidwell of Collinsville, Connecticut, 
enlisted as dental assistant on July 5, 1917, and as a member 
of the 102d Regiment, 26th Division, arrived at Saint 
Nazaire, France, on October 5, 1917. He participated in 
the engagements at Chemin Des Dames sector, Toul sector. 
Saint Mihiel offensive, Verdun sector, and Meuse-Argonne 
offensive. He was mustered out of service April 29, 1919. 

Edgar Merritt Bidwell of Middletown, Connecticut, left 
for France, February 27, 1918, with the 26th Engineers. 
He took part in the Saint Mihiel drive and after the armistice 
went as far as Luxemburg. He was mustered out April 1 , 
1919. 

10 



William John Bidwell of Binghamton, New York, 
enlisted in the telegraph battalion of the United States signal 
corps. 

Lyle Bidwell of Tryonville, Pennsylvania, went to 
France as mess sergeant of the veterinary corps. 

Ralph Spencer Bidwell of Glastonbury, Connecticut, 
was in training at Camp Devens, Massachusetts, from 
which he was discharged January 28, 1919. 

From South Manchester, Connecticut, two brothers, Her- 
bert Alfred Bidwell and Raymond Lyman Bidwell, went 
into training. The elder brother, Herbert Alfred Bidwell, 
was discharged from Camp Devens, Massachusetts, Janu- 
ary 28, 1919. The younger brother, Raymond Lyman 
Bidwell, was discharged from Camp Aberdeen, Maryland, 
March 19, 1919. 

Being a cavalryman prevented Herbert Jackson Bidwell 
of Sidney Center, New York, from going to France. But 
he served on the Mexican border thruout the war and is 
still on duty there. 

This is but a partial resume of Bidwell activities. The 
writer apologizes to those Bidwells whose names have been 
omitted and also to those whose records have not been given 
as complete as they should have been. From the earliest 
days when the Bidwells were members of colonial train 
bands they have been especially active in the artillery branch 
of military service. 

11 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

020 935 825 6 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



020 935 825 6 ^ 



Metal Edge, Inc. 2006 RAT. 



